This relates generally to electronic devices, and, more particularly, to flexible substrates in electronic devices.
Electronic devices such as cellular telephones, computers, and other electronic equipment often contain flexible substrates. The ability to bend a flexible substrate allows the substrate to be used in situations in which rigid substrates would be difficult or impossible to use.
Flexible substrates may be used for components such as displays and touch sensors. Flexible substrates may also be used in forming flexible printed circuits. Flexible printed circuits may be used to interconnect electrical components and can be used in forming signal bus cables. Signal traces may be formed on these flexible substrates to carry signals.
Challenges can arise when the traces on a flexible substrate are bent. If care is not taken, bending stress will give rise to trace cracks or other faults that can disrupt the ability of the traces to reliably carry signals.
It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide improved techniques for facilitating the bending of flexible substrates with signal traces.